Record breaking Spain won a third consecutive tournament with a record breaking 4-0 scoreline in Kiev against a luckless Italy side who went down to ten men after just an hour due to injuries.
David Silva opened the scoring for a superb Spain side, smashing a succession of European Championships records along the way, and brushing aside any accusations of ‘boring football’.
Silva, the only non-Real Madrid or Barcelona player on the pitch for the Spanish, was there to head home Cesc Fabregas’ run and cutback from the touchline while Jordi Alba put the Spanish 2-0 up after accepting a 1-2 from Xavi just before half time.
The final scoreline, with goals by Silva, Jordi Alba, Fernando Torres and Juan Mata, were harsh on the Italians who lost Giorgio Chiellini and Thiago Motta (himself a substitute) to injury leaving them down to ten men having used all of their substitutes with half an hour to go and the score at 2-0.
Spain took their foot off the gas towards the end of the game as Italy ran out of energy and ideas but the space was there for Spain to exploit the exhausted Azzurri who were playing without width but couldn’t compete with the slick passing in front of them.
Fernando Torres earned himself the Golden Boot with his third goal of the tournament towards the end and turned provider to square for Chelsea team mate Juan Mata to seal a record breaking 4-0 final win for the Spanish.
Unlike most matches against the Spanish, possession for both sides was mainly level but with six Spanish players in midfield Andrea Pirlo was crowded out and isolated too often, leaving the Italian strikers including David Silva’s Manchester City team mate Mario Balotelli starved of service and frustrated.
Balotelli stormed off at the end, obviously upset at the way it all ended for Italy, but came back on to accept his loser’s medal.